Kent's search for a batting coach has ended with the appointment of former England all-rounder Michael Yardy.

The 39-year-old, who has most recently been working in Australia, will take up the role from April.

Yardy – born at Pembury – will work with the county's professional squad as well as overseeing the batting programmes for Kent’s most talented youngsters during the winter months.

The former Sussex captain admits he is delighted to have joined Kent, who, he says, have great potential.

He explained: “I am very much looking forward to joining the coaching staff at Kent at an exciting time for the club.

“There is an excellent batting group with significant potential and my aim is to work with the players to challenge for trophies in the coming years and develop international batsmen at the club.

“I’ve spent the past seven months working with New South Wales and Sydney Thunder and have hugely enjoyed my time with the players and coaching staff and feel privileged to have worked with such a prestigious organisation.

“I look forward to continuing my coaching at Kent under the excellent leadership of (head coach) Matt Walker.”

A left-hand bat and slow left-arm bowler, Yardy spent his entire 15-year county career at Sussex, winning seven trophies including the county championship on three occasions.

He was club captain from 2009 to 2012 and, in his first season, led the county to the Twenty20 and NatWest Pro40 titles.

Yardy retired in 2015 after playing 449 matches for Sussex across all formats but two years later rejoined the club as batting coach.

The highlight of his international playing career came in 2010 when he was an ever-present member of the England team which won the ICC 2010 World T20 title in the West Indies.

Yardy played 28 one-day and 14 T20 internationals for England between 2006 and 2011. However, his career ended when he flew home from Colombo with clinical depression three days before the quarter-final of the 2011 World Cup.

Kent have been on the lookout for a batting coach since last August when they announced a restructure of their coaching set-up.

Former Warwickshire and England runmaker Jonathan Trott helped out as a batting consultant last summer but did not apply for the full-time post.

Yardy has worked alongside Kent's head of talent pathway, Min Patel, during his spell as batting coach for England Young Lions in 2018-2019.

Last July, he was appointed batting coach of New South Wales in Australia, as well as the Big Bash League's Sydney Thunder franchise.

Kent's director of cricket, Paul Downton, said: "I am absolutely delighted Mike will be joining our new-look coaching team ahead of the 2020 season.

"We now have two exceptional young coaches in Mike Yardy and Simon Cook to support head coach Matt Walker as we look to challenge in both the county championship and white ball competitions.”

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